Apparatus for signaling the value of shots on targets.



\ No. 775,761. PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904.

V T.'MURRAY. APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING THE VALUE OF SHOTS 0N TARGETS.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 2. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

lay-1- UNITED STATES Patented November .22 1904:.

PATENT QrrrcE.

APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING THE VALUE OF SHOTS ON TARGETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 775,761, dated November 22, 1904. Application filed December 2, 1903. Serial ITo. 183,531. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs MURRAY, gra

zier, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Buffalo Creek, South Gippsland, in the State of Victoria and Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Sig naling the Value of Shots on Targets at Rifle- Ranges, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention has been devised in order to provide means whereby the value of shots on targets at rifle-ranges may be more easily and more quickly signaled by the marker to the rifleman than heretofore.

The accompanying drawings consist of Figure 1, a front elevation of the apparatus as it would appear when signaling a bulls-eye, and Fig. 2 a vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

According to this invention I provide a stout standard or upright A of any suitable material and height. Toward the upper end of 'this standard or upright A are mounted one above the other two or more horizontal spindles B B, which pass transversely through .said standard or upright A and project out on either side, as shown in the drawings, and may be suitably stayed at their outer ends, as by pieces 5. On each of these spindles is pivotally mounted a pair of black metal or other disks or plates 0 C on each side of said standard or upright A. Said disks are independent of each other and are pivoted slightly out of center or are Weighted on the outer edge, so as to normally retain them in a horizontal position when they rest on small pins D, fixed in said upright or standard A. In this position they are edge on and practically out of sight of the rifleman. To the inner end or edge of each of these disks or plates is fastened a cord or wire E, passing through suitable guides F on the standard to insure a perpendicular pull, and thence to the trench or mantelet where the marker is situated, so that he can operate any one or more of them at will.

In order thatthe marker may not get confused with the diiferent cords or wires E, said cords 0r wires are passed through guides, as G, which is so marked as to identify each cord or string with its correspondingdisk, as shown.

Each of the disks C, which may be in the form of a numeral, when shown indicates a certain valuez'. a, the upper left-hand one may denote an outer, the upper right-hand one a magpie, the lower left-hand one a center, and the lower right-hand one a bulls-eye, this latter .being illustrated in Fig. 1. When all are shown at once, it may indicate a miss, and the position or direction of the miss may be indicated by showing the two right-hand or the two left-hand disks, and the two upper ones may indicate a miss overhead, and so on.

The disks are operated and the value of the shot signaled to the rifleman by simply pulling one or more of the strings. When the string is released, the disk falls back to its horizontal position out of sight of the rifleman.

It will be noted that the pins or projections D of the standard are so arranged relatively to the plates that when the plates are released they will fall by gravity on said pins and will be held in a horizontal position in the manner before described, the longer ends of the plates when the latter are in the positions referred to resting on top of said pins or projections. When the plates are raised to a substantially Vertical position, the shorter ends of said plates will engage the sides of the pins or projections D, and said plates will be prevented from passing beyond a vertical position. In practice I prefer to so arrange the pins or projections that when said plates are raised to present them to View the plates will be arrestedby the stops or projections slightly before they assume a true vertical position, whereby they will be caused when released to fall back in a horizontal position on the pins or projections with certainty.

Instead of using a single upright or standard A, I may use a pair of such uprights or standards and connect them together by crosspieces, 620., so that the horizontal spindles may be well supported at either end.

The apparatus may be placed either on top of the target or mound, at its side, or, in short, wherever found most convenient, as it can be operated by the marker at any reasonable distance, and it will be observed that the signals may be shown with either side of the disks.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is An apparatus of the character described comprising a standard, horizontal rods projecting laterally from said standard and arranged in vertical alinement, plates pivoted intermediate their ends on said rods and adapted to have their faces moved from horizontal to vertical position, said rods being disposed transversely relative to said plates and nearer one end thereof than the other, Whereby the said plates Will be caused to automaticnesses.

THOMAS MURRAY.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WATERS, EDWARD WATERS, Jnnr. 

